Kraftwerk Wows First Day Of Movement Festival

And with those words in graphics repeated across the screen, Kraftwerk cemented the relationship between this German synth pop band and the city where techno was born.

Kraftwerk at Movement Festival in Detroit. (WWJ/Sandra McNeill)

Their 90-minute Saturday night set at Movement Detroit at Hart Plaza electrified the crowd with 3D graphics (visible through the glasses distributed) that sent trains and space ships heading toward the audience. At one point, a graphic of robotic feet and ankles simply lingered over the crowd.

Max Reitzloff of Grosse Pointe couldn’t get enough. “That was like nothing I’ve ever seen before,” he said. “that was absolutely incredible. It was a story and you were along for the ride. I mean, it was a blast.”

The show took place on Reitzloff’s 24 th birthday and he admits he hadn’t heard of the band before the show. Once it began, “It was like I couldn’t get enough. I had to keep moving closer and closer to the stage.”

Alex, who came in from Chicago for Movement and didn’t want to offer his last name, has been a Kraftwerk fan for over 20 years.

“One of Kraftwerk’s most redeeming qualities is their ability to adapt,” he said. “For over 40 years, they’ve managed to adapt to all the change that’s gone on within the scene.”

Kraftwerk was a strong influence for the “Belleville three,” the three teens from Belleville High credited with inventing the techno sound. The set on Saturday night is considered a triumph for the 10 th anniversary of Movement and the 17th year of electronic music festivals on Memorial Day weekend in downtown Detroit.

Sunshine, warm temperatures and a strong line up lead to a healthy crowd for the festival’s opening day. This year’s Movement Detroit runs through Memorial Day with over 120 sets scheduled across eight stages.